A volunteer demonstrates how to hang and use a net during a distribution in South Sudan. (Photo by IMA Staff)

Malaria

IMA World Health works to prevent and treat malaria in some of the most insecure and challenging areas of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This year, IMA distributed a combined 2,384,105 insecticide treated nets with funding from the Global Fund and through the Access to Primary Health Care Project, or ASSP, funded by the U.K.’s Department for International Development.

In South Sudan, IMA distributed 1,779,702 nets in Jonglei and Upper Nile states through the Global Fund’s Scaling Up for Universal Coverage and Impact project, led by Population Services International. This represents 96 percent of our annual goal, a remarkable achievement given the region’s poor roads, rainy season flooding and ongoing insecurity. Despite these challenges, IMA and our partners have continued to build resilience among volunteers and communities to mobilize distributions.

In addition to routine bed net distribution at health centers, ASSP completed a six-month mass distribution campaign with the project’s signature hang-up strategy in Nord Ubangi with nets provided by the Against Malaria Foundation. This approach covered almost all (99.8 percent) of the 686,628 sleeping places initially identified, with 685,225 bed nets installed. Follow-up surveys showed remarkably successful outcomes for this hang-up campaign, attributable to the continued improvement of hang-up strategy. These include the introduction household follow-up visits for bed net care and repair along with improved communication to beneficiaries.

This year, ASSP also surpassed its target of 80 percent coverage for pregnant women receiving two doses of preventive treatment for malaria. In total, 298,168 women received two doses of the preventive drugs, reaching 81 percent of expected pregnancies—improving health outcomes for both mothers and their babies.